Romania face France for fifth position

11 Jul. 2014

Romania face France for fifth position

After a highly thrilling match, Romania started their placement round campaign 5-8 at the Women’s Junior World Championship victorious: The duel against Hungary (25:24) was decided just with the final whistle. On Sunday (13 July) the Romanians will face France in the placement match 5/6. The unlucky Hungarians, who lost their second straight match after the quarter-final against Germany by a one-goal-margin, how compete with Netherlands for the positions 7/8.

Placement round 5-8 in Koprivnica:

Romania - Hungary 25:24 (14:15)

The neighbour’s duel was a match on the edge for 60 minutes. Both sides had higher hopes before the tournament, both sides were eliminated in the quarter-finals, but both sides still were eager to make it to the placement match 5/6.

Best player of this close encounter was Hungarian right back Luca Szekerczes, who had already scored nearly the half of all 15 Hungarian foals before the break and finally added nine strikes to her tally. She was the key why Hungary managed to turn the result around after being below in the first 20 minutes, intermediately even by three goals. But when Szekerczes had started her engines and the Hungarian defence improved they forged ahead to two goals for the first time at the 21:19.

But exactly this result was the turning point: Romanian improved in defence and therefore could score more easy goals to be back on track after four straight goals to 24:21. Hungarian coach Janos Hajdu took his time-out, and his players understood his words, reducing to 24:25 with the start of the last minute. As Romania failed in their last attack and Hajdu took his third time-out ten seconds before the end, the Hungarians were close to make it to extra-time, but Mercedes Walfisch failed with the last Hungarian shot. Best Romanian scorer was Maria Constantinescu with six goals.